Jenna Marie
by quietandsneaky
Summary: Charlie has to tell his children that their father  Colby  won't be coming home. Set after The Janus List but before Trust Metric. Disclaimer: I do not own any Numb3rs characters. THis particular story bit me and wouldnt quit until I wrote it. :


Charlie opened the front door to his home and walked in, his heart feeling as though it were laid down with bricks. He was still numb over what had transpired over the last twenty four hours. He knew in his head that he should probably wait to talk to the kids, but he was so very, very desperate just to get it over with.

"Daddy!"

Three year old Chris ran to him and barreled into Charlie's leg. Charlie scooped him up and held him tight. His son's hug always made everything feel better, even if it was only for a moment. Chris let go first, as usual, and Charlie allowed him to do so.

"Where's your sister?" Charlie asked.

"Playing in the backyard."

"Ok. Go sit on the couch, son. I need to talk to you and your sister about something."

"K, daddy."

Charlie patted him on the back and felt a surge of pride in himself. He loved both his children equally, but he felt an extreme closeness to Chris. He got up and opened the back door. Eight year old Jenna was running around the yard with her soccer ball, probably preparing for the game she had in three days. Charlie felt his dread suddenly deepen. How was he going to explain to Jenna that Colby wouldn't see her game?

"Jenna! Come inside. I need to talk to you." Charlie called to her.

"Just five more minutes, daddy, please." she begged.

Normally, Jenna's whiny begging would have irritated Charlie, but today he didn't care. "No, Jenna. Come inside now. You can practice later."

Jenna unwillingly picked up her ball and came into the house. She followed Charlie to the couch and sat down next to her brother. Charlie took a deep breath and began.

"Kids, I have to tell you something. Your pop is not coming home." Charlie said.

"Why not?" Jenna asked immediately.

_Damn. How do I explain this?_ Charlie thought. "Your pop has been arrested. He's going to jail."

"What did he do?" Chris asked.

"That, little man," Charlie said as he tousled Chris' hair, "is a very long story. The point is, Pop won't be living with us anymore."

"Oh." Chris said. He seemed to think about it for a moment. "Can I go play now?"

Charlie smiled. "Yes. But give me a hug first."

Chris hugged Charlie again and ran off to his room to play. Charlie had pretty much expected that reaction out of Chris; he was too young to really understand what was going on.

Jenna was the one Charlie had been worried about. Not only was Jenna old enough to understand, she and Colby were as close as he and Chris were. Charlie didn't know what to expect from her at all. For the moment, Jenna just sat staring blankly as though she'd been hit with something. After a few seconds, Charlie asked her,

"Jenna, honey, are you okay?"

Jenna only responded by looking at her father and asking, "Can I go practice?"

Charlie was shocked, but consented. "Okay."

Jenna climbed off the couch and slowly walked out to the backyard. Charlie sat on the couch mulling over what had happened. He knew he wouldn't be able to force Jenna to talk, but he wished he knew a way to stop her from bottling her feelings up.

_Just like Colby_, Charlie couldn't help but think.

"Daddy, come play with me!" Chris called.

"Okay!" Charlie called. Maybe a couple of hours with his son would do him some good.

The next two days, life continued in the house in a semi normal way. Chris fell and scraped a knee; Don came in and out; the children both went to school. But Jenna became like a zombie. She didn't speak unless she was spoken to; she picked at her dinner and didn't eat; and she spent any time that she wasn't in school inside her room. On the third of these such nights, Charlie went up to Jenna's room.

"Hey, little one. Time for your game." he said.

Jenna sat on the bed, staring out the window as usual. At the sound of Charlie's voice, she turned to face him.

"I don't want to go, daddy."

Charlie had a feeling he knew what was going on, but he asked anyway. "Why not, baby?"

Jenna looked uncomfortable. "I just don't."

Charlie sighed and sat down on the bed. Jenna had never talked to him much; she'd always gone to Colby with any problems. Charlie was jealous of their relationship, though he'd never admit it to Colby. The ironic thing about each of the men's relationship with their children was that Charlie was Jenna's biological father and Colby was Chris's. Now, he hoped to at least show Jenna that she _could_ talk to him, even if it wasn't right then.

"I think it has to do with something you're not telling me." Charlie said.

Jenna continued to stare at the floor. "I just don't want to play." she said stubbornly.

Charlie smiled. "You know, you're just like your pop." he said as he ruffled her hair.

That seemed to rouse Jenna's interest. "What do you mean?" she asked earnestly.

"He tries to pretend like nothing's bothering him too." Charlie said.

Jenna looked at her father, for the first time in her life honestly talking to him. "I know he's not going to be there, so I don't want to play."

The wheels started turning in Charlie's head. He knew that he couldn't get Colby temporarily so that he could go to Jenna's game; but he got up and went into his bedroom. Jenna looked up, puzzled that Daddy had left so suddenly. After a few minutes, he came back holding his and pop's video camera. Charlie sat back down next to Jenna.

"How about I tape your game and take it to pop?" Charlie asked. "Will you play then?"

"You can do that?" Jenna asked hopefully.

"Yep." Charlie, hoping and praying that he could.

Jenna's eyes brightened. "Okay, daddy."

Charlie smiled. He felt he'd made a breakthrough. "Ok. Get ready, honey. Your brother and I will be downstairs."

Jenna hopped off the bed and Charlie started to walk out of the room. He was in the doorway when Jenna said,

"Daddy, wait."

Charlie turned back around and Jenna was heading back to him. She wrapped her arms around his side. Charlie was shocked. He'd hugged Jenna before, but he'd usually given her an unsolicited one. Jenna rarely, if ever, came to him when she needed one. Charlie returned her hug, feeling as though he now understood his daughter a little bit better.

"I love you, daddy."

Charlie had to fight back tears. "I love you too, little one. I love you so much."

A FEW HOURS LATER

Jenna's game was winding down. It was one of the most exciting of the season. The game was tied, and Jenna had the ball. If she made the goal, she would win the game. Every parent in the bleachers was on pins and needles. Jenna focused on what she was doing, completely blocking out everything that was going on around her. Jenna made her shot.

When the ball went in the goal, the crowd exploded. Jenna's team picked her up and walked her around the field. Charlie came onto the field and waited for her. Jenna left her team and ran up to Charlie.

"Did you see, daddy?" she asked excitedly.

"I did. I'm so proud of you, honey." Charlie hugged her, glad that she was happy for the first time in days.

Jenna wiggled away from him and turned around excitedly. She grabbed Charlie's arm and tugged.

"Come on, daddy. We have to go home." she said.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Charlie laughed. "Don't you want to go for ice cream with the team?"

"No, I have to go home and tell p…"

Jenna suddenly stopped. Charlie's heart dropped. He'd thought that Jenna understood what was going on with Colby, but obviously she hadn't gotten it until just then. She let go of Charlie's arm and stood there for a few seconds, unmoving. Charlie thought about going to her, but he was paralyzed. Jenna was breaking and he wasn't sure the best way to help her. Jenna turned back around and the look on her face broke Charlie's heart. One tear was sliding down her cheek.

"Oh, baby." Charlie whispered.

Charlie put down the video camera and walked towards Jenna. Jenna ran into him and collapsed, sobbing. Charlie picked her up, rubbing her back to try and calm her down. Don and Chris came up behind them. Don started to say something to Jenna, but stopped and grabbed Chris's shoulder. Charlie turned around and mouthed to him 'Take him home, please.' Don nodded and led Chris off the field. Charlie found the benches on the field. He put the camera down and sat, still holding Jenna. After a few minutes, Jenna calmed down enough for Charlie to talk to her. Charlie took her face in his hands and looked her in the eyes.

"You ok?" he asked.

Jenna nodded.

"Honey, I know you miss your pop. But you know I love you too right?"

Jenna sniffed. "I know. And I love you too. But…"

"But what?" Charlie asked, gently coaxing her to talk to him.

"But pop knows stuff you don't."

"Like what?" Charlie said.

"Like my story." Jenna said.

"The Berenstein Bears?" Charlie asked. Charlie did know that was her favorite book.

"No. Pop made one up. He tells me a little of it every night. When it's over, he starts another one." Jenna told him.

Charlie had no clue. How could he have not known that Colby did that? Charlie looked at Jenna with new eyes. He realized then that although he loved his daughter immensely, he really didn't know her that well. Charlie decided to try to reach out to her.

"Well, I could try to finish the one you and pop are on now. And then after that, we could come up with one together."

Jenna was amazed. "Really? You'd do that?"

Charlie smiled. "Of course, honey."

Jenna hugged Charlie again. "Thanks, daddy."

"You're welcome, sweetie." Charlie took a deep breath. "Let's get you cleaned up. After that, you want to go out for ice cream with your team?"

Jenna thought about it, and came to a different decision. "Can we go out instead? Just you and me?" she asked.

Charlie was touched. "Of course, baby."

Charlie called Don and asked him and dad to keep Chris for the rest of the day. Charlie and Jenna spent the day together, eating ice cream, seeing a movie, and going to the park. They arrived home later that night, Charlie carried her up the stairs and put her to bed. He laid her down on the bed, put her blanket over her, and kissed her forehead.

"Good night, precious. I love you."

Charlie got up, went to the bedroom door, and turned off Jenna's light. For the first time ever, he felt like a father to both his son and his daughter. As Charlie started to head down the hall, he stopped when he heard Jenna mumble something from her sleep.

"Love you too, daddy."


End file.
